********
**** ****
** **
* *
* *
* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
* *
* *
** **
**** ****
********
@@%*^=~,,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, ** ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, ** ** ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, ======= * * ======= ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, ** ** ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, ** ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, ======= * * ======= ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, ** ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, ** ** ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, ======= * * ======= ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, ** ** ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, ** ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, ,,,~=^*%@@
@%*^=~,,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,,~=^*%@
%*^=~,,,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,,,~=^*%
*^=~,,,,,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,,,,,~=^*
^=~,,,,,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,,,,,~=^
=~,,,,,,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,,,,,,~=
~,,,,,,,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,,,,,,,~
=~,,,,,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,,,,,~=
^=~,,,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,,,~=^
*^=~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~=^*
%*^=~,,,,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,,,,~=^*%
@%*^=~,,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,,~=^*%@
@@%*^=~,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,~=^*%@@
#@@%*^=~,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,~=^*%@@#
##@@%*^=~, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,~=^*%@@##
#@@%*^=~,, ,,~=^*%@@#
@@%*^=~,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,~=^*%@@
**
** **
* *
** **
**